becoming frightened by these bikes

GoldenMotor.com

crassius

Well-Known Member
Sep 30, 2012
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USA
I'm seeing a lot of these lately that look a lot more like motorcycles than like bicycles. 2/3 to 3/4 of my work is for folks that for one reason or another can not get a license.

I'm worried that as more of these begin to look less like bicycles that licenses will be required, and I'll have no income left.

How is it in other areas?
 

Sidewinder Jerry

Well-Known Member
Dec 19, 2011
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Rockwood, TN
Well several states including mine (Tennessee) already do require a driver's license. Here though under 50 cc doesn't require a motorcycle license.
 

MotorBicycleRacing

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Jul 28, 2010
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SoCal Baby!!!
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I'm seeing a lot of these lately that look a lot more like motorcycles than like bicycles. 2/3 to 3/4 of my work is for folks that for one reason or another can not get a license.

I'm worried that as more of these begin to look less like bicycles that licenses will be required, and I'll have no income left.

How is it in other areas?
Your area listed in your profile is USA.
Where are You located?

Always needed a drivers license in California but that law is not known or enforced in a lot of areas.

frightened seems like an over reaction.......boo! laff
 

paul

Well-Known Member
Dec 23, 2007
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Kalamazoo, MI
it all depends on us on how motorized bicycle laws will be written. we get a lot of people out their with loud bikes, driving crazy and terrorizing our streets and stiff laws will follow. think about this every time we ride
 

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
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Littleton, Colorado
Ditto and another big problem I see is the habitual DUI types who are turning to motorized bicycles as an alternative to driving. Once the law makers realize this there will be an increase in enforcement and laws governing our hobby. Those folks lost their privilages to operate a motor vehicle for a reason. Why should we support them getting around at the cost of more scrutiny by law enforcement?

Tom
 

racie35

Active Member
Nov 17, 2012
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usa
CT requires a valid license but no registration for most motorized bicycles...DUI means you don't drive anything....I know in indiana where my brother lives its opposite that....they call em liquor cycles
 

chainmaker

Well-Known Member
Jan 19, 2010
2,634
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Ma USA
In MA you need at least a driving learners permit and just a 2 year sticker $40. seeing guys promote these bikes to DUI people isn't helping the motorized bicycle community it's just putting drunks on motorized bikes on which you really need to have your wits about you while riding.
 

maniac57

Old, Fat, and still faster than you
Oct 8, 2011
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memphis Tn
I'm expired and Memphis cops have never said a word about it.
I have been run many, many times and the only one who tried to give me a hard time only complained about no lights.
I bought a red flasher for the back.
As long as it's under 50cc they don't care. My eyes are pretty bad so the 66cc's look like 50cc to me.

:)
 

rogergendron1

New Member
Sep 18, 2013
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woburn ma
In MA you need at least a driving learners permit and just a 2 year sticker $40. seeing guys promote these bikes to DUI people isn't helping the motorized bicycle community it's just putting drunks on motorized bikes on which you really need to have your wits about you while riding.
lol in ma you dont need anything depending onwhat town you ride lol

i have no licance and no sticker and i have been stoped by police 3 times all to aks about the bike and tell me nice job lol.

in mass in woburn, saugus, medford, malden everett, and that aria the police dont give a flying crap as long as the bike is more or less under 100cc and looks like a bicycle... IE bike frame and working pedals, i have been told this by 2 cops that stopped me to check it out lol. they flat out said its fine no ones going to bother me as long as i am following rules and not causing havock, i even have a super loud exhaust and they said it sounded cool ! they told me as long as its 50 to 100 cc or looks like a small engine they just consider it a motor bike / moped and dont care simply because they can only go 30 max and the average driving speed is not much faster than if you were pedaling a nice bike real hard lol they told me dont speed dont weave trafic and use a head liht tail light and i will never be bothered. "as long as i dont have a 10 horse power tractor motor in the frame im all set", those were his exact words !!!
 

Sidewinder Jerry

Well-Known Member
Dec 19, 2011
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Rockwood, TN
It's true in most places if you don't ride like an idiot and fully obey the traffic laws at all times most cops won't bother you. However should you ever be involved in a multi vehicle accident especially if its your fault you may find yourself charged with everything which can be thrown at you.

In 2006 my brother and X-brother-in-law was in a wreck. He ran into my brother. Both were hurt really bad and had to be taken to the hospital with broken bones. This happened in Knox county Tennessee. They were both charged with operating an improper vehicle on the public roadways. They said the bikes were improper due to exceeding the 50 cc limit and because of a manual clutch it wasn't considered an automatic transmission.

This is one of the main reasons I stress being legal. You never know when an accident could happen. The other thing which doesn't help is making videos of irresponsible riding then posting them publicly.
 

rogergendron1

New Member
Sep 18, 2013
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woburn ma
i realy thought about converting to a centrifugal clutch, you know the grubee cent clutch that bolts to the case, and adding a pull start... but i am not shure of the quality of the grubee cent clutch and i am not shure if it will hold up to the abuse of a highly modded motor thats far more powerfull than stock. also i am unshure of its engagement rpms and how well it takes off and the amount of torque it can withstand. so i never bought the set up.

my thoughts were to convert over to a automatic and pullstart and then put one of those faux 50cc side covers on it and just say its a 50cc auto even though its realy a 70cc dax. 47mm x 40mm

i wanted to do this to be in compliance with the law ... well at least from an onlookers point of view it would appear to be an automatic 50 cc and nothing to wright a ticket about, but so far ALL encounterts with the police i have had... stopped twice to ask about it and once i was flagged down by an officer on foot who thought it was an old wizzer and was amazed i had one ! he talked to me for an hour about the old wizzer bike he had back in the day and congradulated me on the bike lol after that i stopped worrying.

in eastern ma i just follow the rules of the road, cut out my motor when i hit the sidewalk, and keep it under 30 unless i am on a back road with zero traffic, always give the right of way, and dont play around doing tricks. and i wave at the police.... all police, i wave a them and say high as i pass. i do this so they see me and know me and know that i am around, now its been a wile and the cops know me by my bike and wave back and i am NEVER BOTHERED ! try being noticed by the police let them see you and get to know you this way they know who you are and that you are doing nothing wrong and they will let you be.

i have no licance no 40$ sticker and no plate, yet none of the cops .... not a single one care. i have even told them i have no licance and they said it didnt matter i am fine and that there was no reason at all to bother me.



however .... i am 32 years old and dress propper and speek propper and i am polite to the cops, also my bike is well built and safe with a bright head light and tail light, i also where my army reflective pt belt around my back at night. my bike looks like its safe and propper with all the right equipment and as you know looks and preception mean everything ! if it looks like a 50cc then it is for all they care, it could be a 99cc preddy but if its stripped down to look smaller and mounted vertical like our bike motors are and it has and auto clutch, and the exhaust is not ear drum blowing loud, then the pilice around here wont care, if your driving like you are suposed to and obey the traffic laws then they are not going to stop you and take the time to fill out paper work and confiscate your bike, then take it appart to measure it to prove its over the limit all just to give you a fine lol !

if i were a punk looking 19 year old kid dressed in all black with an ozzy ozborn shirt on and a bike built out of scraps that looks as if it was zip tied together by a blind monkey and tooling around on the sidewalk at 2:37 in the morning ..... you can bet your life it would have been confiscated a long time ago ! i have been there and done that and had bikes confiscated by the very same police force then that waves to me now ! its all about preception.
 
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miked826

New Member
Aug 6, 2011
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Los Angeles
I'm seeing a lot of these lately that look a lot more like motorcycles than like bicycles. 2/3 to 3/4 of my work is for folks that for one reason or another can not get a license.

I'm worried that as more of these begin to look less like bicycles that licenses will be required, and I'll have no income left.

How is it in other areas?
Look like motorcycles? As long as it still pedals, it can look as much like a motorcycle as you can make it, cause the last time I checked there is no motorcycle equipped with or capable of pedaling. LOL

 
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crassius

Well-Known Member
Sep 30, 2012
4,032
158
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USA
still concerned despite all the comments here - most customers here are too poor for buses or too poor/unable to get licenses (out-of-state students, DUI guys, undoc'd workers)

due to age & health issues, I was about to go homeless when a friend got me into these (tried to do mopeds, but they're too big & heavy for me to work on)

should these become a high-ticket item (say over $300 to buy) or require reg & license, I may be living in my car till I can get out of country to someplace cheaper to live
 

miked826

New Member
Aug 6, 2011
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Los Angeles
still concerned despite all the comments here - most customers here are too poor for buses or too poor/unable to get licenses (out-of-state students, DUI guys, undoc'd workers)

due to age & health issues, I was about to go homeless when a friend got me into these (tried to do mopeds, but they're too big & heavy for me to work on)

should these become a high-ticket item (say over $300 to buy) or require reg & license, I may be living in my car till I can get out of country to someplace cheaper to live
I spent $4200 on mine and it requires a moped plate, helmet, mirror, lights and m2 license in Cal, regardless of it's cost. Do people who ride them meet all the legal requirements to do so? Not even close. LOL
 

MotorBicycleRacing

Well-Known Member
Jul 28, 2010
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SoCal Baby!!!
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still concerned despite all the comments here - most customers here are too poor for buses or too poor/unable to get licenses (out-of-state students, DUI guys, undoc'd workers)

should these become a high-ticket item (say over $300 to buy) or require reg & license, I may be living in my car till I can get out of country to someplace cheaper to live
Where are you located?
What are the motorized bike laws in your state?
 

scotto-

Custom 4-Stroke Bike Builder
Jun 3, 2010
6,505
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Ridin' inSane Diego, CA.
Yes it pedals nicely, not like a motorcycle......it's a stock framed beach cruiser!

Don't stare too long at the 49cc engine, it will start growing....



.wee.
 

xseler

Well-Known Member
Apr 14, 2013
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OKC, OK
Yes it pedals nicely, not like a motorcycle......it's a stock framed beach cruiser!

Don't stare too long at the 49cc engine, it will start growing....



.wee.

You could call it "Pinocchio"......because it grows with a lie..........:D
 

rogergendron1

New Member
Sep 18, 2013
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woburn ma
still concerned despite all the comments here - most customers here are too poor for buses or too poor/unable to get licenses (out-of-state students, DUI guys, undoc'd workers)

due to age & health issues, I was about to go homeless when a friend got me into these (tried to do mopeds, but they're too big & heavy for me to work on)

should these become a high-ticket item (say over $300 to buy) or require reg & license, I may be living in my car till I can get out of country to someplace cheaper to live
i feel ya.... i went through a devorce and some how the state of ma saw fit to give mt wife everthing ! dead srs !!! she has the home i paid for wile she did not work she has my truck to get the kids around and i have nothing, she takes 60% of my pay in child suport caust she doentt work so she needs more than usulal LOL what a joke ! so i cant afford to even live on my own. i put around on a motorized bike and stay at family members homes on couches or floors. my dad has a place for me in NH but its far to far from my work so its not an option.

the reason for most of this is cause they saw income from the millitary but i am not on active dutie any more the duvorce took place just after i came home and went on reserve dutie. so they are tryinh to take whats not there

that is why i am on a motorized bicycle and not in my old 6in lifted chevy crew cab 4x4
 
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MotorBicycleRacing

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Jul 28, 2010
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current laws here don't define anything that has no auto-trans
and where exactly would "here" be?
What USA state are you in?

CA says: Automatic transmission and a motor with less than 2 gross brake horsepower.

All that means is that can not shift gears and frankly even the areas that enforce the motorized bicycle laws do not even care about the 2 HP part.
 

rogergendron1

New Member
Sep 18, 2013
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woburn ma
Yes it pedals nicely, not like a motorcycle......it's a stock framed beach cruiser!

Don't stare too long at the 49cc engine, it will start growing....



.wee.
in mas where i am from this would fly just fine as a motorized bike ! as long as you wave to the cops and when they stop you talk to them cool and tell em its a 50cc they will never bother you again lol they wouldnt even care if they knew it was a 212 preddy as long as you drive it like a bike .

the motor on my bike is 70 cc 47mm x 40mm but do you think anyone is going to pull t apart to make shure after confiscating it ? if i am following all the rules it would be a wast of time for them .
 
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